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WOW!!! What a great deal on this fantastic condo!!!! Just reduced to $100,000!! 535 Cloverfield Ln. features two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, an excellent location and tons more!! You won't want to miss out on this one!! Call us today to schedule your private showing.

The last of the paperwork has been filed away and the keys are in your hand. Congratulations on joining the ranks of first-time homeowners who've taken advantage of the great home-buying opportunities in today’s market!

But closing on your home is just one step toward reaching your long-term financial goals. As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I often advise my clients on financial matters and know that there are several steps new homeowners should take in order to ensure financial stability and protect their new investment. For example, here are five smart financial strategies from author Joe Tyson:

Don't splurge. While it's tempting to decorate every room in your new home as soon as possible, be careful about spending too much on furnishings and home improvements. Budget out over the course of the year or several years, to chip away at your home. Plus, when you're a homeowner, expenses will always crop up, so sock away some cash for the proverbial rainy day.

Rebuild emergency savings. If you've dipped into reserve funds to buy a home, put back that buffer as soon as possible to protect against unexpected events. This should be your priority ahead of aesthetic changes to your home.

Automate your mortgage payments. Late payments can cost you. Consider automatic checking account deductions to pay your mortgage. This is the number-one best way to ensure you are never late and to protect your credit score.

Keep good records. Even in today's tech-centric world, receipts and all related documents will be necessary for your tax returns.

Appeal tax assessments. If your home's value drops, you could be eligible for reduced property taxes. Keep in touch with your real estate agent to stay abreast of how property values are faring in your neighborhood. If your home's value is less than what it was appraised for at the time of purchase, appeal directly to the county assessor at little, if any, cost.

These are just some of the steps you can take to make sure you start homeownership on the right financial foot. Feel free to contact me for more financial tips and please pass this email on to others who might benefit from this information.

In today's technology-centric world, the idea of hosting an open house to help find a buyer for your home may seem antiquated. As a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, however, I have learned from experience that an open house -- when done correctly -- can go a long way toward getting your home sold quickly for an optimal price.

Why? Because while technology is integral to marketing your home, no video or virtual tour will ever compare to viewing a home in person. That's why it's essential to focus on the very tangible assets of your home during an open house -- the things that will connect with a potential buyer's senses. Work with your real estate agent to make sure you emphasize the following areas of your home so that open house visitors can connect in a very visceral way:

Fragrance - Move beyond the played-out strategy of baking cookies in the oven and instead, seek to emphasize potential natural fragrances associated with your home. Have your open house while your magnolia tree, hyacinths, lilacs or rose bushes are in bloom. Make sure your lawn is freshly mowed. Open windows to let in sea or lake breezes. Arrange some freshly cut pine branches from a tree in your yard decoratively in a vase. Make sure your hardwood floors are cleaned and polished. All of these are subtle, yet powerful, scents associated with the true meaning of home.

Warmth - Nothing says home better than a room basking in sunlight. Make sure curtains are pulled aside and blinds raised to let natural sunlight bathe key rooms in the home. Take advantage of a home's wood stove or fireplace when appropriate.

Touch - Open house visitors will open all sorts of doors, cabinets and drawers and come in contact with banisters and window frames. Make sure all metal substances, like brass door knobs, and wood finishes, such as your master staircase, are brilliantly polished, clean and smooth to the touch.

Sound - Every home has certain sounds associated with it -- good and bad. Take advantage of any natural water nearby by keeping a strategic window or two open, or install indoor and/or outdoor fountains. Hang a bird feeder in close proximity to an open kitchen window. If you own a grandfather or cuckoo clock, make sure it's wound. Conversely, unplug any electronics that might make disturbing humming or beeping noises, and close any windows that let in displeasing street noise.

Sight - While odds are most visitors have already seen your home online, nothing compares to this in-person visit. Inspect your house from all angles, starting at the front curb or driveway, all the way through to the basement, attic, and back door. Make sure your home looks its best from every angle -- even inside closets and cupboards. As you can imagine, less is more. Clean out the excess and arrange subtle vignettes that help visitors envision themselves living life in the various nooks and crannies of the home.

Thanks to technology, we can narrow down who is truly interested in our home prior to an open house. But make sure your open house grabs potential buyers on a deeper level than what they can experience online. For more ideas, please e-mail me, and feel free to pass these tips on to others who might be interested in selling their home.

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Come and see for yourself what a true stunner this beautiful cape cod is. 212 S Grand will be held open Sunday, Janurary 23, 2011 from 1:00pm - 3:00pm and will be hosted by Mike Parker.

Directions: 471 to South on Grand, home is located on the left going South

212 S Grand Ave

Price: $150,000

Beds: 3

Baths: 2

Sq Ft: 0

212 S. Grand Ave. is a true stunner! This mint condition cape cod has been totally updated and is loaded with amenities. It features three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, lush hardwood flooring, central air, gas heat, a wood burning brick fireplace, a...

There are currently 3310 Single Family, Condo, Town-homes and Farms for sale in Northern Kentucky. As of today there are 444 Single Family, Condo, Town-homes and Farms that are Pending (Under Contract).*

Here is the breakdown:

There are 2667 Single Family homes for sale with 395 single family homes Pending (under contract) in Northern Kentucky. The Average list price is $183,296 with a Median List Price of $142,000.*

There are 628 Condo and Town-homes for sale with 52 Condo and Town-homes that are pending (Under Contract). The average list price is $207,177 and the median list price is $121,200.*

There are 108 Farms for sale in Northern Kentucky and 5 are Pending (under contract) in the NKY MLS.*

* All Data taken from the Northern Kentucky MLS the morning of January 13, 2011.

This Report was brought to you by Northern Kentucky Real Estate Expert Mike Parker of HUFF Realty! Mike has over 24 years of experience in selling real estate in Northern Kentucky! If you would like more data or want to know more about your own personal property, please feel free to contact Mike Parker – CRS.

According to a new consumer poll from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), 49% of homeowners consider outcome and design as the greatest determinant of project satisfaction. According to NARI National President-Elect Michael Hydeck, consumers want their design to cater perfectly to their lifestyles and how they intend to use the space.

As a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I have seen countless times how good design involves much more than customization of the home. Design work can bring multi-functional capabilities to a room -- like a kitchen that also serves as the family room -- or it can enhance the flow of the space by widening walkways and adding more access to the space from various parts of the home.

If you are considering a home remodel in 2011, make sure your remodeler works with you to get to the root of your lifestyle needs. According to Hydeck, many remodelers actually put their clients through special exercises to see how the remodel can best enhance their lifestyle, such as having them complete a questionnaire or take them on a walk-through of the entire home.

Hydeck also recommends, prior to starting a remodel, that you take a few days to take note of everything you do in your home and how you access it ... the paths you take, what counters or areas you place items on, where you sit most often to relax, etc. Being aware of these patterns will help make your remodel as successful as possible.

For more advice on remodeling, visit www.nariremodelers.com, or e-mail me. I can provide you with my recommendations for remodelers in your area. Be sure to forward this information on to any friends and family members who may also be considering a remodel.